Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Colorado GMU 34

Anyone ever hunt this unit? Will be there Sept. 10-25 Have a few spots picked out via Google earth and other maps. Will be my first Elk Hunt. Hunting Buddy and I are in our mid 30's and excellent shape at only 800ft above sea level here in Indiana, so not sure how we will handle the elevation.

If possible arrive a couple of days early. Camp in the valley. Acclimate to the elevation by taking it easy for a couple of days. Then hike in gaining elevation slowly. Pick a spot with water and camp at least 2-4 miles from any trail.

No need to do that. Hell, I've killed a few elk from trails. I'd say, camp where it's convenient and go from there.

I have to agree. Solitude is always a good thing,but we have killed bulls in sight of forestry roads.

I've done it both ways and I like camping just off a trail for a couple of reasons. I'm not saying you should hunt on trails but I like to put camp where it won't disturb the animals and putting it along a trail where they're used to seeing people fits that description better than off the trail where they're not.

Plus it's easier to get your gear to, easier to pick up and move somewhere else, and much easier to find in the dark. You can hunt right up until dark and then come off the mountain, and even if you're not sure exactly where you are, hit the trail and walk back to camp.

I've scouted out areas pre-season that were filled with elk, and then come back to find that someone had set up camp right where the elk were. Key word "were" because they were gone.

And to clarify, I guess I should say that if Mtnsnake was referring to jeep or ATV trails, I agree 100%. When I hear the word trail I think foot/pack animals only.

Pretty hard to convince people not to camp in prime elk habitat or go in there a day before season opens to scout. Either only serves to move the elk to another location

I didn't hunt elk last year because I went to AK. But two years ago my buddy who was bowhunting spotted a small herd from a trail right near camp, went after them, and arrowed a bull. They were about a half mile from the trail. When we went back to haul it out, I filled my ML cow tag within a hundred yards of the bull.

I'm going to camp there again this year. In about three days.

Vince, I'm assuming you have an ML tag too, good luck!!

Elevation impact is different for everyone. Little impact on my IN body until I am above 8000 ft. Go early and adjust. Camp where it is easy to move camp if you need to go to plan B. We set up a big camp the first time out and could not easily move when the elk were not where we were.

Yep, Unit 12, ML cow tag and bull tag, 2nd season for Unit 54.

Also have two doe antelope tags , a doe ML deer tag and a late season (Jan) rife tag for whitetail only, doe.

Second hand info for you: Access to 34 can be tough from Glenwood area if you get any weather coming through. Transfer rd can be nasty. Access up top is good via plenty of FS roads so expect to see lots of hunters up there.

Guys get into elk during first rifle in the canyon country on the southwest side of the unit, as a result of a combo of snow and pressure during bow season.

I would probably look for the steepest nastiest north facing canyon and start there while my legs were still good...

Nhunt:

I know nothing about unit 34, but I offer the following regarding your well being in the mountains.

MOUNTAIN AIR: Mountain air is very different than what you may be used to. It is thin and dry. There is simply less air to breathe than you may be accustomed to and the relative humidity is low. The low humidity has several negative effects that your body may not be accustomed to. The dry air creates some extreme temperature variations. It’s common for night time lows to be in the teens and daytime highs to be in the 60s. This means that you can be hypothermic in the morning and experience heat exhaustion in the afternoon of the same day. Short afternoon storms are common and these often drop the temperature by 30°F. When combined with some wind and some sweaty clothes, that can be deadly if you don’t react properly.

ALTITUDE SICKNESS: The two most serious types of altitude sickness are HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema) and HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema). HAPE is fluid in the lungs and you can self-diagnose it when you feel gurgling in your lungs or pain in the chest. If your breath is condensing and your friends aren't condensing, then you may have fluid in your lungs. HACE is fluid on the brain. You can self-diagnose it when you get dizzy and stay dizzy for more than a couple of minutes. If one of your hunting partners goes unconscious or doesn't wake up in the morning, you need to transport him to lower elevation immediately to save his life. The only effective field remedy for HAPE and HACE requires an item called a Gamow Bag and you won't have one. So DECEND! DECEND! DECEND! Get to lower elevation immediately if you want to live. Fortunately HAPE and HACE are both rare (but not unheard of) below 10,000' elevation.

The most common type and the least severe is AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). It's often associated with dehydration. Its' symptoms are similar to those of influenza and they may include mild headache, nausea, vomiting, lassitude, loss of appetite, and periodic breathing (waking up gasping for air). Common Aspirin and Tums can help because they coincidentally contains the just the kind of ingredients that your body needs and it is a mild astringent that reduces the effects of dehydration. Diamox is the brand name of a prescription drug that works for some people. Start taking it a couple of days before you begin to ascend. But it doesn't work for everyone and there are some potentially miserable side effects. I’ve heard that chicken soup helps and it can’t hurt. In most cases, if you rest for a couple of days, drink lots of liquids, and take Aspirin and Tums, AMS will subside and you can start enjoying yourself.

The best way to avoid altitude sickness is to ascend slowly, at the rate of 1,000' per day. But you don't have that much time. So get in good shape now. Good shape means strong heart and lungs. Good exercises include running stairs, swimming, bicycling, or any other kind of exercise that works the heart and lungs. However sometimes even the best athletes can get altitude sickness, so don't count on that being the cure all. Get to high elevation a few days early and just lounge around for a few days before you start exerting yourself. Stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and coffee or any other kind of diuretic. Take one Aspirin and one Tums each day. Be alert to the symptoms mentioned and react appropriately if they occur.

Also try to develop a technique called Alpinisti Breathing (pressure breathing). Essentially you consciously make your lungs inhale and exhale before you feel the need to breather heavy, you generate a rhythm between your body effort and your lungs so that you have air before you need it. If you wait until you need the air then it’s too late and you are always out of breath. It’s sometimes called the Rest Step (step-breathe-pause-breathe, step-breathe-pause-breathe, repeat, etc.)

Good luck. Have a safe and enjoyable hunt,

KC

You sure do get around for such an ornery old cuss.

Great advice here^^^^^^^

Thanks for all the advice!!

I've been a competitive crossfitter for 4yrs along with doing offroad triathalons. So, i'm used to working under stress while my body is gasping for air...just not thin air.. Indiana at this time of the year is crazy humid also.

Just a few more days so we'll see how it goes. I plan on taking my time and getting accustom to the altitude.

Thanks for the tip! I think the plan as of now is to go west off Coffee Pot Rd. to Grizzly creek to start.

Haven't hunted there in years, but that is where I killed my first elk, a small 5x5 bull, in 1963. Wishing you good luck and good hunting!

The "to start" part is good. Since you're new to elk hunting and new to the area, don't be too stuck on hunting any one spot. From year to year, the elk are either there or not there, and the same goes for hunter numbers. If you're not seeing elk or very fresh sign within a couple days, or if the place is too crowded, pick up stakes and go to the next spot.

The altitude is no joke. I live around 5700' and when hiking from 10k-12k and being up that high for a few hours, I feel it. Like described above, light headache and slight dizziness sometimes. Don't think that nasty Kabul air helped me out while over there.

Nice thing is when hiking around 3000' (Boise for example) it's sooo easy!

Flat lander from Ohio here
I have hunted 34 the last 4 years. Not hunting this year. We set up camp 2 days before season opened , that sure helps getting used to altitude. Only 4 years I have ever elk hunted. We hunted 2nd rifle season. Had 50% success I got a 4x4 last year minutes into the season by luck. Few animals taken there second rifle season per local game officers

I really like that area

Put in 3 days and 26 miles, nothing in 34. Very little sign. Drove up to steamboat and put 14 miles in the Zirkel wilderness and again never seen anything! I'm sure getting some exercise but not finding any elk! Luckily the altitude hasn't affected me much. Was up around 11.2k today. Got a couple more days to grind it out